Spalding: Parks, Trails and History

When exploring Spalding, you can shape your stay in different ways: around trails and water, sports facilities, or Griffin’s history. The parks offer both short paved routes and longer cycling trails, as well as expansive grounds. In Griffin, the focus is on historic buildings, museums and memorial sites. This lets you plan your trip around the topics that interest you most.

Trails, Water and Activity

Dundee Lake Park combines a 28-acre fishing lake with opportunities for bank fishing and small boats without gas-powered motors. If you plan to fish or go boating there, check the regulations before your trip. Quarry’s Edge Park offers a clear comparison between two cycling routes: the 1.1-mile Green Loop is suitable for beginners and family outings, while the 3.1-mile Blue Loop is designed for experienced cyclists. Cleared areas at the foot and on top of the quarry also offer a first glimpse inside it.

Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park covers 164 acres and includes a 3-acre lake, seven soccer fields and five baseball fields. Trails include a 1.25-mile paved loop and a 5K cross-country trail. Ernie’s Trail is described as a nature-rich route with diverse flora and fauna, and is considered suitable for quiet recreation and educational purposes. The park hosts tournaments, events and classes for all age groups throughout the year; dates may change.

The smaller parks also have different focuses. Thomaston Mills Village Park covers 34 acres on land that formerly belonged to the mill and has a quarter-mile paved walking path. At Airport Road Park, a 0.5-mile rubberized walking path passes a large play structure for children ages 2 to 12 and an accessible play area. The 15-acre Julian Jones Park in Orchard Hill has two playgrounds, two walking paths, a baseball practice field, five picnic pavilions and restrooms.

For water sports, Spalding County Aquatic Center offers a 25-yard competition pool with eight lanes, as well as a 25-yard warm-water pool with four lanes and ramp access. The Grind Skate Park is for BMX bikes, inline skates, scooters and roller skates; its features include a six-foot-high halfpipe, quarter pipes, bank-to-bank elements, an event fun box and grind rails. If you plan to visit one of these facilities specifically, check the current conditions beforehand.

Griffin’s History and Culture

The Griffin Museum focuses on artifacts and memorabilia from Griffin dating back to the mid-19th century. Topics include the Dixie Highway, the development of the railroad, aviation pioneers, agricultural innovations, textile manufacturing and Doc Holliday. Our Legacy Museum is dedicated to the historical and cultural experiences of Griffin-Spalding’s African American community.

Several buildings showcase different chapters of local history. The Bailey Tebault House was built from 1859 to 1862 in the Greek Revival style and now houses the Griffin Spalding Historical Society. Spalding County Courthouse is one of only 15 antebellum courthouses still standing in Georgia; it is also considered a rare example of the Italianate style that was widespread when it was built in 1859. The Gothic Revival St. George’s Episcopal Church has a house of worship built in 1869. Griffin’s Rosenwald School was established in 1929 during the era of racial segregation in the southern United States.

Other sites offer their own historical highlights: Heritage Park includes a Rosenwald school, an Equalization School, a gymnasium and a community garden. Griffin Opera House was built in the 19th century and later renovated to emphasize its historic, distinguished character. Oak Hill Cemetery was part of Griffin’s original city plan and is the burial place of many historic figures with ties to Spalding County.

Events and Trip Planning

Recurring events include Feast on East, an annual fall gathering featuring a shared outdoor meal and local music on East Solomon Street. The festival honoring Doc Holliday features historical reenactments, live entertainment and a barbecue competition. Dates and programs may change, so check event details before your trip. Downtown Griffin also has more than 900 free public parking spaces.

Then choose your hotel location based on the destinations you plan to visit. This way, your choice fits your itinerary without assuming a particular type of accommodation or set of amenities.

Discover more destinations: Griffin, Screven, Floyd, Crisp County, Sumter, Fulton, Towns County and Charlton County.

Go to the main travel overview: Georgia.